Throughout the month of December, there are a list of five movies that I grew up watching with my family. Some have fallen off the list while others are still at the top. Time to revisit them. The list is in no particular order, but I will start with my favorite.

First up, we have my all time favorite since it was released, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (2000). Yes, the one starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch and Taylor Momsen as Cindy Loo Who. I’ve always had a soft spot for this story in general as it’s also one of my favorite Dr. Suess books too. Jim Carrey really brought this character to life along with the help of the director Ron Howard. One thing that I really enjoyed was how they gave a backstory to a possible reason “why” Christmas became so loathed by the Grinch. Plus the set, it really brought the whole story to life. 

Next is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This one has been a family tradition as long as I’ve been alive (considering I was born just after this movie was released). This quirky movie follows the Griswold family leading up to Christmas day and all the calamity the follows having a family invade the house. Clark Griswold invites everyone from both sides of the family over for a visit to give them the perfect Christmas, but as well all know the best laid plans don’t always happen like they’re supposed to. If you haven’t seen this one, add to the list this year, but be mindful of age as there is some strong language at times.

Following that is going to be one that became another family tradition and that is Love Actually. It became one of my parent’s favorite movies, so therefore it was integrated into watching it each holiday season. This movie follows several storylines that end up crossing over by the end. It also has some star studded power including Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Kiera Knightly, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth. It is a bit of a sappy love story throughout with its other real world challenges mixed in too. One of my favorite parts is at the beginning of the movie where one of the daughters exclaims that she playing the first lobster in the Nativity play at their school… because of course there was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus. The witty humor alone is worth checking out this film.

Diverging from the mainstream movies a bit, I’m going to dip into the Hallmark Christmas movies vault for the next one. It’s going to be The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. This one has Henry Winkler in it and Brooke Burns. It’s a classic Hallmark story line, where the female lead is having a small crisis and the male lead swoops in and helps to solve the problem for her. Of course by the end of the movie, they’re both in love. This one is a little different from the rest of the line up as the story is not quite as cheesy as the other, so definitely give this one a watch.

The final one on my list is A Muppet’s Christmas Carol. Another family tradition and a classic that we all love watching multiple times every year. The witty comedy of the Muppets combined with the classic retelling of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. It’s fun and easy to watch with the whole family, while still giving the lessons of the original story. We typically have this on in the background during dinner or when wrapping presents to help the time pass. 

These are my favorites and top recommendations to add to your holiday line up this year if you’re looking for a good Christmas classic. I always suggest trying out new movies and seeing if there are others out there to add to your holiday traditions or maybe even to mix it up a little. 

Happy Holidays to one and all and until next time, safe exploring everyone!